Chief Trunk Bags: Reviving a Forgotten Classic

"How we're different from the European brands is that I want you to get these dirty," says Konrad Duchek, the man behind the re-launch of Chief Trunk, formerly known as The Oshkosh Trunk Company. As a child, Duchek's family traveled with the luggage and its signature red-and-yellow stripe motif, despite the fact that the company went out of business in the early sixties. It wasn't until later when he was working for Chanel that he stumbled upon an Oshkosh bag at a Parisian vintage market, surrounded by wares from venerable brands like Louis Vuitton, Goyard and Moynat. "I just thought to myself, These are amazing."

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Now Duchek and his business partner and creative director Michael Sambrano have revived the collection. While the name has changed, the foundational striped motif remains. "It needs to be tied to the past," Duchek says. "Yes, there's heritage, but we're moving it forward. It's a tricky balance to strike." In pursuit of that balance, Duchek spent huge chunks of time on research trips to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and hours scouring eBay, which eventually led to the creation of his own personal archive. "I have so many bags," he says with a laugh.

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That work paid off, though. Currently, Chief Trunk offers up a tight edit of straightforward and familiar styles — a weekender, duffel, and various totes among them — that evoke what Duchek calls the "American good life." A bit nostalgic, yes, but also perfectly in line with today's emphasis on heritage and craft. All production takes place stateside, echoing the label's origins. "I want to create an American luxury brand, not an American luxury brand that's made in Southeast Asia or even Italy." Duchek, who says the line will be expanding this fall — adding more styles and new fabrics — sums up his approach simply: "I want to approach this as if the brand had existed all these years." Turns out, it looks as good as ever.